I’ve been restoring a roll top desk built by my uncle in HS shop class. The end panels that held the tambour were put on with screws but I didn’t want to tear the desk apart to put in more screws so had planned to use dowels. Despite being super careful the dowel holes don’t line up so I need a plan B.

1) Use #20 biscuits, easy, quick, not sure if they are strong enough.2) Homemade dowel jig, basically a board with a series of holes, clamp it down and drill but dowels are fussy and even a tiny bit off and they will not line up (as I’ve already learned).3) Tear everything apart and use screws again.4) Use pocket hole screws and plug the holes. Quick and easy, should be strong but the plugs will be somewhat visible. This wouldn’t be terrible, the desk was far from fine furniture and is made of 3 or 4 different species of wood.5) Other ideas?

I cut a biscuit in half to give me an idea of how much will be holding.

14 replies so far

I would use dowel centers. Basically drill one side, put these in the holds, line up the panel as you want it, and then give a couple whacks and it will basically “centerpunch” the other board to line up.

Works awesome for things like table leaves and lining up chair legs and arm holes.

Rick – I agree with Dr. Dirt. I dont think the biscuits will have the holding power that you would need for this joint. If you already have holes drilled that do not line up, fill them with dowels and redrill. You can also make a template from the tambor side using the dowel centers on a scrap piece of wood, drilling it out and using it for a guide on the top. Let me know how you make out.

After stepping away for a bit I went back and used dowels. I was just extra, extra, careful drilling new holes and they lined up fine. Thanks for the help. One of these days I should pick up a set of dowel centers.

I didn’t know that Huff, interesting. This is a child’s size and I’d be afraid to do that.Yeah, if I were building it from scratch I would use tenons.

The desk is interesting because it was obviously made from scraps, I’ve identified oak, maple, cherry and even pressboard. But the overall construction was quality, almost factory, but unfortunately it had a very hard life going through several kids before my Mom got it then it sat in a hot attic for 10 years, then in a dank basement for 10 years, then in the back of my shop for 15 years. By the time I started repairs it was in pieces. My mom said my uncle made it in HS but he says he didn’t; but my mom never forgot anything – and I mean never, so I take her word on it.

I’m on the side of the biscuits. They would be plenty for this….and they help more than many will admit. The only thing I’m unsure of is whether they will be easier to get properly aligned than the dowels…but if ouy can they will be plenty strong.

After looking at this for another day I’ve decided this one time my mom must have been wrong, there is no way my uncle built this in HS and I suspect it really is factory made from scraps, difficult as that is to believe. I considered it being a mish-mash but the parts fit together too well, it must have been made this way. On the bottom of a pencil tray that may or may not be original to the desk (I can’t tell) was a Japan sticker. The pencil tray may not be original or the sticker might have been added by a kid. The desk is a conundrum.